FRIDAY, 30 JANUARY 2015
For a long time I believed joy and happiness to be luxuries that can only be enjoyed by people with no problems in life. I tried to convince myself that it is okay to be happy – that I won’t be committing a mortal sin and risk being hit by a bolt of lightning if I walk around with a smile, being nice to people and making jokes and generally feeling positive about life.
Eventually I started believing myself.
Alas, I tend to fall back into old cognitive grooves way too easily. Time and again I catch myself thinking once more that only ignorant people, children, psychopaths and fools can get away with experiencing happiness and joy as a normal existential condition.
The truth, as many people already know, is that happiness and joy form the first wall that protects you against the onslaughts of life; happiness and joy are also the tree out back where you will take your last stand to keep yourself alive, and more or less healthy.
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